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After the South West warrior fought his way past ‘Vegan Warrior’ Markus Burke and HT Drake, beating both with his George Cross move, Hager started to get worried and ran in to attack Ryan during his third match with ‘Tango’ Timm Wylie, causing a disqualification.

But All-American Jake’s assault was calculated, because his plan was for Eddie to face the final two men at the same time.

Somehow the exhausted Lion managed to absorb a punishing assault from Dave Mastiff and Big Grizzly, then pinned Grizz after an astonishing George Cross to win the final two-on-one handicap match and survive Hager’s Gauntlet.

The furious Jake then beat Ryan down some more and, to add further injury to insult, Mastiff and Grizzly joined in to inflict further damage to the wounded local hero.

Eddie looked unlikely to even emerge for the main event title match, let alone win it. But he staggered out, clutching his ribs, and came so close to ruining Hager’s schemes and winning the championship.

But the biggest night in Eddie's career was ruined when the fight spilled outside the ring and he was smashed in the head with a glass bottle by one of two invaders who had been watching in the crowd.

The referee did not see this interjection and so the champion was able to capitalise, hauling the dead weight Ryan back into the ring for a match ending gut wrench power bomb.